Designing SOCs with Configured Cores

14.3. Fit the Processor to the Algorithm

Configurable, extensible processors allow developers to tailor the processor to the target algorithms. Designers can add special-purpose, variable-width registers; specialized execution units; and wide data buses to reach an optimum processor configuration for specific algorithms. They perform this work using a surprisingly small variation of the conventional development flow shown above in Figure 14.1. In addition to recoding critical routines in assembly language, a configurable processor gives the SOC development team the option of adding instructions, registers, and register files to the processor that speed critical inner loops.

This processor tailoring can occur at the same point in the software-development ...